Not so long ago, a trip to Ladakh meant that you would visit it before September. In October, the place used to be closed. Hotels and camps would end and leave the region that particular year. This, however, is no longer the case. After the recent increase in tourism in Ladakh, people plan to be there even in October and November. And by people I mean families; not just a bunch of adventure enthusiasts. So, if you also planned to be in Ladakh soon, below is what Khardung La looks like now.

Khardung La in october

The last photo is not really Khardung La, but it is from Chang La. In fact, she was referred to me in a Whatsapp group. I didn’t click on this image and I don’t claim ownership; but I wanted to share it here as a word of caution to everyone planning to visit Ladakh in October. See all motorcycles in the image? Everyone was stuck at the top of Chang La. The weather suddenly changed and it started to snow a lot. In fact, things got so bad that people had to leave their motorcycles stuck and return to the city of Leh by other means of transport. The road was buried deep in the snow and it was no longer safe to ride a motorcycle.

Khardung La in october

It usually starts to snow at Khardung La in September. In fact, by mid or late September, most high-altitude passages would have received snow showers. This year was an extreme case, when it suddenly snowed all over the Himalayan region. In lower areas of Ladakh, such as Leh City and Nubra Valley, the chances of snowfall are very rare in October. Normally, in November, it snows in the lower areas and the snow does not fall on the ground until December.

Leh Ladakh in october

If you plan to be in Ladakh soon; in october or november, my strong suggestion is that you pack for a very cold climate. The temperature of the nights can drop more than 0 degrees; and the days will also start to get colder. Take wool, good quality gloves, cold creams, some basic cold remedies and a heavy windproof and warm jacket.